Novice

I haven't had a very noticeable flatspotting issue with my tires even when the weather was cold. However, I do feel some vibration around 50-55 mph. I am not a car person, so I could be wrong; however, this vibration follows shortly after the automatic gear shift from 4 to 5th gear.

Can someone let me know if the tires are the reason why we have this particular problem?

Thanks.

Norse396

For me at this point it's the tires.

Tread

No, it is not the tires. The one you are describing is one of three or four vibrations. Two or three are tires, but the one you describe is not. Some have said it is the engine lugging and some have said it is an exhaust resonance.

The second sonds more true, as the MDX owners are having the same issues (see mdx.org), but it is at a different speed and engine rpm. For the TL it happens at 1500 RPMS, do you also get a noise at that time?

You sound like one of the many with the 1500 RPM issue, I am sorry to say.

EDIT - as rets also said, some say it is an engine mount issue. However, Acura is representing this as a normal characteristic of the car.

rets

IMHO, I don't think it's related to EL42s in this issue.

I have this subtle tremble at 1500 RPM/50-55 MPH/5th gear. I believe it's caused by

1. the early engagment of active lockup torque converter at 5th gear
2. the resonance of the exhaust or those two close-coupled catalyzers
3. engine mounts

My stupid dealer even said it's the characteristic in Acura. Acura will never have solutions. I hate it.

rets

Right, it happens in some of MDXs at 2000 RPM, someone ever changed the hangers and damping with their exhaust system, then the vibration has gone.

Since 04TL has this sympton in the early 1500 RPM, it's hard to say if "lugging" or "resonance" make this happen.

dcarlinf1

The 50-55mph vibration (in fact I wouldn't call it a vibration) is a non-issue for me. I feel what I think the rest of you feel. And, if I am right, it has nothing to do with the tires and everything to do with what gear you are in and what your RPM's are. If you downshift to 4th using the SS it goes away. This "vibration" is only there while in 5th gear at low RPM's. This is not going to change because there is nothing to fix. It's also not significant enough for me to go and complain. I doubt the 6mt guys feel this "vibration". Correct me if I am wrong.

Novice

Wow, thanks for your responses although I have to admit that I don't completely understand your explanations.

If I do feel a slight vibration for the first couple of miles when the weather is cold, should I even ask my dealer to switch my tires? I had a 2003 Accord EX which had Michellin tires. Again, I am not a car person, but I thought that road handling when it rains, was better with Michellin tires. What the heck do I know anyway??!!:p

Tread

Interesting thing is that the TSX does not do this, even though it has less power and only a few hundred pounds less, and shifts at 1500 - 1600rpms, there is NO vibration at that point.

It seems to be a problem with the American designed Acuras (MDX and TL).

I do not think the engine is lugging at 1500rpms as it produces more power at that level than other cars with the same pounds (ie the 185hp bmw 525, just a thought).

Tread

No the 6MT guys do not feel this exhaust issue as the car's gearing does not allow them to be that low in RPMs other than in first.

also, the vibration varies based on the car, some only make sound, some vibrate slightly, some a lot. So for some it is a non-issue, others it is not.

BTW - This is one of those issues that would make an engineer run home crying to his/her mother! It is not easy to fix.

rets

If you feel vibration in varied speed zone in the beginning, this 90% could be the flatspot issue. Have a dealer to change NEW EL42s for you.

Novice

Do I really have to duplicate the problem? I mean my dealer is about 9 miles away and the weather has been very nice lately.

Thanks.

rets

Maybe they will ask you to have your 04TL stayed overnight and test for you next day.


For me, if they like to waste my time to test my car and put another EL42s on, I'll not take them. I may have the new tires in the end of 04 by my own.

abwolf13

I had the morning problem and the 50-60MPH problem and they are both now completely gone since I switched to Michelin tires, so for me at least, it was definitely the tires and nothing else.

Novice

Even in Irvine CA?

abwolf13

Yes, even in mostly warm, Irvine CA. Bad tires flat spot when they've sat too long, it doesn't have to be cold. Also the 50mph problem with the EL42's happens every where, all times of day, and all temperatures.

digital_b

I bought the michelins and swapped them out for the oems. no problems here.

jgrahamiii

It's easy to figure out if it's your tires or not. Use sports shift and keep it in fourth gear throughout this range. If it vibrates, it's most likely the tires, if it does not, then it's one of the other issues mentioned here. For me, I have no vibration when I either stick in 4th either with SS or harder acceleration. Therefore, it's not the tires in my case.

finishline

I tried this test today as I've noticed the vibration at about 50-55 mph. When I shifted down to 4th, the vibration continued. So I take it this means it's the tires? I have about 900 miles on the car. I'm new to the forum and tried to read way back so as not to repeat.....has Acura been replacing the tires or recognizing the problem? I noticed it when I picked up the car and the sales manager said it was flatspotting of the tires, but I drove about 200 miles the other day and it never resolved.

Otherwise I LOVE this car....not even otherwise...I just LOVE this car, but this is kinda annoying.

elessar

I got my TL a couple of weeks ago, and hadn't noticed any vibration issues (it has EL42s, but they could be the "new" ones). But I figured I'd try the 50-55 mph test, to see if the car has the exhaust resonance issue I've been hearing about, and lo and behold, I discovered a confounding new problem.....

I just can't seem to drive the TL that slowly! Anybody else have this problem??

charleybrown

I was planning to buy a new TL, but have held off pending resolution of the vibration problems posted here. Called 2 local dealers (here in L.A. area) in January. They knew nothing about it. Called them again today and here's what I got:

Dealer #1: Service rep has not heard of any complaints, but he will ask others and call me back. Sales rep at same dealer said the same thing back in late Dec. but never called back. I didn't call him back because I wasn't ready to commit.

Dealer #2: Service Mgr said that they got a couple of complaints and their fix is: lower tire pressure to 20psi and drive the car for 15-20 miles--at high speed if you had vibration at those speeds. Then, put the pressure back up to 32psi. That should get rid of any flatspotting and vibrations. Thinking this sounded hokey to me, I asked him what if that doesn't fix the problems? He said "then we go from there." He knew nothing about new El42s or any tire swapping from Acura. I felt he was being evasive.

I was disappointed to say the least. Anyone out there want to try Dealer #2's fix??

jgrahamiii

I read something similar to the dealer 2 fix from someone in Canada. It clear won't fix the flat spotting as that is due to the belts. The impression I got from the Canadian folks, though was that the lower tire pressure was a kind of test to see what caused the problem. If it went away at the lower pressure (not after you re-pressurzied), then it was one thing, and if it did not go away, it was something else. I forget what the results are.

My main advice to you, though, is go take a nice thorough tesst drive early in the morning. First, as you live in LA, the flat spotting may not be an issue for you, and even if it is an issue, it clears up after several miles even in the worst case. It appears to be a cold weather thing. Many people who own this car either do not have, or do not notice any other vibration, and except for what appears to be a relatively few peolpe. it is not excessive in any event. It may not bother you even if you have it. Also, if you are interested in the 6MT, there are far fewer issues there.

Don't go only by what you read here. It's great information to have, but it is clearly slanted (in both directions - good and bad).

Hybrid

So how does that work? Every manual trans car I have driven allows you to drive at whatever low rpm you want to drive at, right down through lugging and until the engine dies if you want to take it that far. As far as I know, the TL doesn't have some sort of low-rpm rev limiter. The MT engine is the same as the AT engine. If you put the MT in 6th gear, and drive it at 1500 or whatever rpm the AT is in at about 50 mph, and accelerate lightly, the vibration should be about the same as in the AT cars. That's if the vibration is due to "lugging" the engine. I suspect that MT owners don't notice the vibration just because they don't drive around at rpms that low. But the car would allow it if the owner wanted to do it.

jgrahamiii

Didn't even notice the problem until it was pointed out. I was never in fifth gear at that speed!

MikeRadio

Yes.. My TL automatically goes 70-80... I dont know why. I dont try to go this fast but it just ends up there during normal highway driving without me noticing it.

I may have to have it checked out at the dealer.

I do not have vibration problems at any speed.

2obsessed

IF it is tires, take you car to the dealer. Yes, Acura is replacing tires once the service dept. determines you have a problem. You will be put on the list, tires to start arriving in the next few weeks.

zhalvaje

Im in San Diego, I dont have any flat spotting, but i notice that the car vibrates at 90+ mph. Is this normal for the car to vibrate or is this one of the El-42 issues?

William_B

I am feeling this problem in my 6MT with the LM22 Blizzaks.

Sherlock

I had vibration problems in my Accord after I got new tires on it, thru 5 visits to balance they still coudln't get it to stop vibrating. Finally took it to a more reputable place and they fixed it the first time, and for 15,000 miles after that, the next shop said it was so perfect I didn't even need a rotation.

I have the flatspotting in my TL, but it does go away in 3 miles and is dead-on after that. Tho I did have to have it balanced after purchase because it was incorrect on delivery.